What a Sweet-16 Tournament Would Look Like for Class AA Basketball

The SDHSAA Basketball Advisory Committee recently suggested using a Sweet-16 tournament system for Class AA. Here's what it would look like this year.

Under the proposed system, the top 16 teams would be ranked based on seed points (Wins/Losses on a graded scale of opponents wins/losses) in a traditional tournament format. The winners of the first round would then go to the state tournament. This would eliminate the double-elimination format that is currently being used.

The argument is that this would give the best chance to get the best teams to the state tournament, while those against it say it potentially takes away regional representation.

There are 17 teams in Class AA for both boys and girls. One team would be left out each season for being in the last place spot. This year's teams that would be left out are Mitchell (3-17, 36.35 seed points) for girls and Roosevelt (0-20, 35.65 seed points) for boys.

This is what the first round would look like for both Class AA boys and girls in 2017.

Girls AA

Final Standings

Harrisburg, 19-1, 44.10

Roosevelt, 15-5, 43.85

Brandon Valley, 17-3, 43.55

Lincoln, 13-7, 43.30

RC Central, 14-6, 42.30

RC Stevens, 13-6, 42.16

Aberdeen, 15-5, 42.15

Washington, 11-9, 42.00

O’Gorman, 9-11, 40.45

Brookings, 8-12, 39.20

Yankton, 8-12, 39.20

Pierre, 8-12, 38.90

Sturgis, 7-13, 37.65

Watertown, 5-15, 37.55

Douglas, 7-13, 37.25

Huron, 4-16, 36.90

Mitchell, 3-17, 36.35 (ELIMINATED)

Sweet-16

(16) Huron @ (1) Harrisburg

(15) Douglas @ (2) Roosevelt

(14) Watertown @ (3) Brandon Valley

(13) Sturgis @ (4) Lincoln

(12) Pierre @ (5) RC Central

(11) Yankton @ (6) RC Stevens

(10) Brookings @ (7) Aberdeen Central

(9) O’Gorman @ (8) Washington

Boys AA

Final Standings

O’Gorman, 17-3, 43.70

Brookings, 17-3, 43.55

RC Stevens, 14-5, 42.32

Brandon Valley, 14-6, 42.20

Huron, 15-5, 42.20

Washington, 10-10, 41.00

Sturgis Brown, 13-6, 40.74

Lincoln, 9-10, 40.42

Pierre, 10-10, 40.15

Watertown, 9-11, 39.75

Douglas, 12-8, 39.65

Aberdeen, 8-12, 39.35

Harrisburg, 9-11, 39.35

Yankton, 8-12, 39.20

RC Central, 4-15, 37.89

Mitchell, 0-19, 35.68

Roosevelt, 0-20, 35.65 (ELIMINATED)

Sweet-16

(16) Mitchell @ (1) O’Gorman

(15) RC Central @ (2) Brookings

(14) Yankton @ (3) RC Stevens

(13) Harrisburg @ (4) Brandon Valley

(12) Aberdeen @ (5) Huron

(11) Douglas @ (6) Washington

(10) Watertown @ (7) Sturgis

(9) Pierre @ (8) Lincoln

The Activities Directors from the Class AA schools will vote on the Sweet-16 system. If it passes, it will then be sent to the SDHSAA Board of Directors who will then vote on the change. If it is implemented, the Sweet-16 system could be started as early as the 2017-2018 season.